Tobias Bayer will join EF Education–EasyPost for the 2027 season, ending a six-year spell with Alpecin–Premier Tech. The 26-year-old Austrian brings experience of both the Classics and Grand Tours to an American WorldTour team making significant changes to its roster.
Bayer has raced for the Alpecin organisation since 2021, joining when it competed as a ProTeam and remaining as it established itself at WorldTour level. He has become a regular support rider across one-day races and stage races, often working for team leaders rather than chasing individual results.
His transfer comes as several riders move between the two squads. Estonian sprinter Madis Mihkels is heading from EF to Alpecin–Premier Tech for 2027, although the moves have been announced as separate signings rather than a formal exchange. EF have not confirmed Bayer’s contract end date in the information available for this report.
Bayer brings six seasons of Grand Tour and Classics experience
Bayer’s best individual road result remains third at the 2022 Brussels Cycling Classic. He also finished sixth on a stage of that year’s Giro d’Italia and seventh at the 2024 Volta NXT Classic, showing that he can compete for places when opportunities arise.
He has made six Grand Tour appearances, split equally between the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España. His most recent three-week race was the 2026 Giro, which he completed while supporting Alpecin’s wider stage-racing objectives. He also finished third at the Austrian national road championships in 2025.
That background makes him a useful option for a team needing riders who can handle the less visible work in difficult races. Positioning leaders before key climbs, protecting them on exposed roads and contributing to breakaway chases are all important responsibilities, even when the rider doing them finishes well down the results sheet.
EF reshape their 2027 squad
The Austrian joins EF during a busy transfer period. The team have recruited Emil Herzog from Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe and Iván Sosa from Kern Pharma, while former Giro d’Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart is another arrival.
Richard Carapaz’s departure for NSN Cycling and Mikkel Honoré’s move to Jayco AlUla are among the exits creating opportunities within the squad. Bayer is not a like-for-like replacement for either rider, but adds depth to EF’s one-day and stage-racing groups.
The immediate task will be adapting to a different racing set-up after spending his entire WorldTour career in the same organisation. His first season in EF colours begins in 2027, with the precise race programme still to be announced.
